Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

[coolcolj]

Finally I crack 8 hours of sleep! But I still look and feel tired.
Not too sore, just my upper hammies. Left hip/groin feeling much better.

Been doing this stretch here a lot lately in the last few days - top sets of pics
http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=body_57cp
This one is way better than the one where you use your hands to pull back the leg. It seems I've been pretty tight in that whole area. From sitting for long periods of time I guess. Knees feel way better when getting out of a chair, that halfway point in a squat, and I should notice a difference in my stride pushoffs the next time I run, and maybe even my jumps too...

weighed 93.7kg 206.1lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Back to low carbs. 12min walk today. Did a lot stretching afterwards.

 

[coolcolj]

http://www.alwyncosgrove.com/Articles.html

bunch of interesting stuff

 

[coolcolj]

No nap and crap sleep to boot, had to fill in of an extra shift at my part time job on last mins notice! Have a heavy training session today as well
Feely achey in my legs and hips, especially in my external hip rotor area. Probbaly from the stretching and walking.

weighed 93.2kg 205lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Looking and feeling fat and heavy....

 

[coolcolj]

Tuesday 20th December - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 8 DELOAD - Day 2 - Upper + Lower Strength - Microcycle 5

Thanks to the wasted workout last week, I'm not a whole lot stronger today, but the weights definitely felt much lighter even though I had crap all sleep last night!

Stretching is improving my squat form, feels much more natural now. Some guy who was doing rack deads nearby even came up to me and complemented me on my superb form and depth on the warmups sets
Starting a new microcycle next week, with a few new weakness to target.

Bodyweight at gym - 208lbs
Workout time - 1.5 hours
Workout rating - 7/10

General warmup -
1) dynamic swings etc
2) reverse hypers - BWx10
3) back extension BWx6 + 6 twisting to each alternate side
4) situp complex on swissball
5) sitting in bottom of a narrow fullsquat for 40secs
6) adductor/hammie stretch into back tumbells x8
7) usual bar complex with 30lbs


Full Oly Back Squats - in Oly Shoes - RAW

Warmups - explosive and divebombed the last few reps of each set up to 185lbs (except frontsquats more controlled down), then just controlled down and explode up on the heavier stuff
rest - 1min between earlier sets, 2-3mins between later sets
BWx8, Bar x5, 95x5, 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 255x2, 285x2, 315x1
Frontsquat - Bar x5, 95x5, 135x3, 185x3
Wide stance fullsquats - Bar x5, 95x5,

Controlled down, 3 sec Hold at bottom, explode up - rest 5 mins
1) 335lbs x 2 (+1rep ) ---> ballbusting strain on last rep
2) 325lbs x 2 --> hard strain on 2nd rep

fast down, explode up
3) 245lbs x 4 (+10lbs) ---> 4th rep much slower

335lbs feeling much lighter on my back now. I just made the 2nd rep, really slow through the sticking point, and I felt my upperback start to collaspe. So will need to get back to snatchgrip deads next microcycle to beef that up.
But I'm good at activating my hammies now so I don't GM the squat when I strain hard. I just put my chest up, roll my glutes back, create a pelvic tuck and stretch the upper hammies and everything fires as it should. Plus my hammies are a lot bigger and stronger than they were 8 weeks ago. Looking more like a horses hind legs from the side, especially the lower part
So I expect a nice improvement on my 30m and 56m sprints when I get back to em.

325lbs went up relatively easy, surprising since it's only 10lbs less.
explosive set with 245lbs felt quite a bit slower on the 4th rep, and a burn starting, which ends around 9secs, the edge of the phosphate energy system bracket
4 reps seem to be the sweet spot for me, even on the warmups, I would get a burn around the 4th rep.

clip of all worksets. 335lbs looks a lot easier they it felt powering it up!
right click on link and save first to avoid errors
http://www.members.optushome.com.au...OlySquatsPR335_325x2_Paused_245x4_20Dec05.mpg


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Rotating Sets between each upper body exercise

Resting 1.5 min on warmup sets and then 3.5 mins between each exercise


16 inch Grip bench - shoulder blades tucked - no arch or leg drive

Warmups - Bar x5, rest 30secs, x 10 (last 5 reps drop/catch style)
explosive - 95lbs x 10, 135x8, 165x5, 195x3, 225x2, 245x1

controlled down, 3 sec ISO hold an inch above the chest , explode up
Rotation 1) 255lbs x 2 --> hard strain on last rep
Rotation 2) 255lbs x 1 --> hard strain

much the same as last week. Stay here until I can crank out 2x2 fairly easily

Chest Supported 45 degree T-Bar Rows - Overhand grip

warmups - explosive/divebombed - Barx10, Bar+45lbs x8, +70x5, +90x3, 115x1+2sec ISO, 125x1, 135x1

controlled, 3sec ISO hold at the top
Rotation 1) Bar + 145lbs x 3 --> hard strain on last rep
Rotation 2) Bar + 145lbs x 3 (Volume PR) --> gutbusting strain on last rep

A little stronger, time to go up.


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aggressive stretches for whole frontal quad area, external hip rotor, calves, pecs and lats. Plus some lower back and hip

 

[coolcolj]

Got enough bed time, although only 6 hours of deep sleep. I look tired, but don't feel too bad.
Achey all over, but not too sore, mostly in my upper hammies, glutes and spinal erectors. No drained feeling which is awesome. And I feel light and loose somehow, none of that heavy swollen feeling in the legs.

weighed 92.9kg 204.4lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Bodyweight finally going back down again! Look a little leaner and tighter, more detail in the abs and lower back/spinal erectors. Would love to hit 200lbs soon, getting sick of my current bodyweight and fat levels. And if I can continue to get stronger that would be kick ass.

12min walk planned for today + some static stretches afterwards

 

[coolcolj]

Hot night, crappy sleep, but not to bad.
Still somewhat sore in my groin and posterior chain, plus upper back. Legs/hips and feet feel nice and loose/light. That's the sensation I've been trying to get for a while, they feel small and light, but they are still big. And best of all this is after a heavy squat session. So all the stretching and extra protein is really turning things around. See how it goes with running today.

weighed 93.6kg 205.9lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Up alot, more to do with food in my stomach I think. I ate a lot more yesterday, still low crabs though. I'm thinking of ditching the carb load this week and stay low carb all the way through. I just like the way I feel and look when on low carbs - alert, lighter, looser, no water bloat, and much better energy levels. With maybe just carbs just after training - although I'm thinking of ditching that as well. we will see.

 

[coolcolj]

Thursday 22nd December - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 8 Deload- Day 3 - Energy Work - Microcycle 5

Excellent session. Damn the warmup stuff was hella snappy, springy and effortless!
Legs and hips feel rocket powered, loose and smooth too. Another 30lbs on my pause oly squats to 365lbs and my bodyweight down to 200lbs and I'm gonna haul ass!
My goal is till get it up to at least 405lbs. 425 for a double would be sweet. That would allow me to powerclean 300lbs and powersnatch 210lbs with minimal leg bend to catch. Probbaly put my 1RM at 475lbs or so. Might as well push it up to 500lbs just to make a nice even number
Then get lean, down to 185-190lbs, work on power and speed and I'm gonna tear it up! That's the plan anyway....

Workout Rating - 9/10
Workout time - 30 mins

Warmup

warmup - dynamic stretches and swings, various hops in place in bare feet at home.

Slow Jog - 50m x 4 - 1.5 mins rest, 25-35secs duration each, getting faster and springy

Run complex increasing in speed each run to 50% speed - 1.5 mins rest

3 sets - trying to stay as smooth, relaxed and fluid as possible
25m prime times (stiffed legged runs), 10m straight run, then into lateral run, right side 5m, left side 5m, into backwards run 5m, then three 360 pivots runs

3 point start into 40m accleration runs to 70% speed x 3 - 30secs rest

then rest 3mins

Tempo Runs + Energy Work

200 metres - 180 degree turn at halfway @ 70% speed - from proper standing start

rest = 3 mins
1) 43+ secs
2) 43+ secs

Damn that was pretty quick and on a slopey field too. The last 25% of each run was getting wobbly and hard though. Posterior chain feels a bit trashed
When I ramp up the volume again next microcycle, and hit 3 runs for 43secs each then I way faster than before!

 

[coolcolj]

Thursday 22nd December - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 8 DELOAD - Day 3 - Upper + Lower Prehab/Depletion - Microcycle 6

Did this 1+ hour after the above running session. Normally I have a bowl of cereal+whey+Oat milk between the 2, but today I ditched that. Just had 2 serves of Whey+vitamin C powder, some meat and veg. Felt much better and had more energy - good session

During the first half of the workout, I've never had such and intense and full upperbody pump! Guess my body is pretty good at converting protein into glycogen now

Bodyweight at gym - 209.5lbs
Workout time - 1 hour 50 mins
Workout rating - 8/10

General warmup -
1) dynamic swings etc
2) back extension BWx6 + 4 twisting to each alternate side
3) reverse hypers - BWx10
4) Situp complex on swiss ball
5) warmup complex with 30lb bar

Rotating Sets between each upper body exercise - all stopped short of failure

Resting 1 min on warmup sets and then 2 mins between each exercise


Shoulder width Pullups

warmups - Pulldowns 35kgx10, 50kg x5, 65kg x 3, 75kg x 2, Pullup x10sec hold + 5 scapular shrugs, Pullup BWx1

controlled
BW x 11 (+1rep)

equals current best but cleaner controlled form

Closegrip Triangle Pushups

warmup - BW x 5
BW x 32 New PR +1rep

Lats were pumped quite a bit during this


High angle rows - pulling with lower/mid traps and delts

warmups - 40lbs x 5
50lbs x 18 (+2reps)

Standing Elbow Forward Dumbell Press - Neutral Grip

Warmups - 5kg x 10

controlled - nonlock
25lbs x 20

Hammers my pecs, shoulders, serratus, triceps and core in one shot!

Dumbell Curls
warmups - 2kgx10, 15lbs x5, 25lbs x5

30lbs x 15 (+2reps)

Cable Rope Tricep pushdowns
warmups - 10kg x10, 15kg x10

just warmups


Prehab/Restorative - 30secs to 1.5 min rests

Fullsquats BWx30 (+5 reps) - damn killer burn, took 55secs

Dip Shrugs warmups - lockout hold BWx10secs + 5reps,
BW x 31 - numbers going back up even after pushups and stuff

Wide multi-direction lunge - 5 ways each leg, 4 reps each direction -
45lb oly bar (+3 reps and 5lbs) - bar makes it easier to balance. Felt very good today, but I ripped my parts... Damn do these gas you out!

Lat Machine Situps - BWx6, 45lb dumbell on chest x 8 (+10lbs) with 3sec ISO at the bottom of each rep

Single leg back extension - 3 sec hold at top - BWx6, +10lbs x 8 damn that was hard. My feet keep rotating out and when I force it back in, the inner hammstring screams. So there is a imbalance there I need to fix
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=773872

Hip abduction/adduction on Keiser air machine - Level 3/3 x12, level 4/4 x 30 (+5reps)

Standing Single Leg curl - 4plates x 8, 6P x 22 - deadstop

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - 1plate x 15, 1 legged - 1plate x 15 (+1 rep) each leg - deadstop

Single Arm face Pulls - Keeping shoulders down and back when pulling back, 1sec hold each rep - 70lbs x 15 (+10lbs)

Cuban Rotation Dumbell raises - 4kg x 20

Low Pulley External rotations - 10lbs x 6, 15lbs x 15 with a 1sec hold


ISO Stretches - EQI

Pec/subscap stretched ISO hold - First I did subscap rotations - 5kg x20, then the stretch with 5kg dumbells x 1min

Lat stretched ISO hold on chin bar - leg supported x 1min

bunch of static stretches

 

[coolcolj]

Interrupted light sleep, feel and look sleepy....
Achey all over.

weighed 94kg 206.8lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Carbed up after the last workout yesterday, and this morning, now back to low carbs

went for a 12min walk, then some light stretching after

 

[coolcolj]

Woke up feeling really weak and lethargic, no energy at all. Feel better now, but not much more... not sure what's up with that
Posterior chain and legs still a bit stiff and achey

weighed 93.8kg 206.36lbs straight out of bed in underwear

The changes I made this week to my diet seem to be having an effect, I look different, even if my bodyweight hasn't changed much.
Recovery should be good today and tomorrow as I don't have much going on